The present invention relates to a method for producing an escape route marking, and an escape route marking.
It is known to arrange photoluminescent strips on the floor of the interior of an airplane to mark the escape routes. Photoluminescence is occasionally termed afterglow and/or phosphorescence. The technical safety requirements for marking escape routes are for example specified in German industrial standard DIN 67510. The strips are placed on the floor of the airplane cabin and, in an emergency, indicate to passengers and the flight crew the path to ways out and emergency exits. In the past when equipping airplanes and airplane cabins, photoluminescent strips became increasingly accepted as escape route markings since these are failsafe and can work without a power supply.
A continuous fluorescent layer is known from EP 0 489 561 A1 in which color pigments are incorporated in a polymer matrix. The fluorescent material can be incorporated in a carrier medium that lends the fluorescent light various optical properties by means of additional filters.
An emergency lighting system for an airplane is known from US 2002/0015309 A1 in which photoluminescent material is arranged in a sealed sheath. The sheath is held to the floor of the airplane in a press fit between two parallel rails. The photoluminescent material is inserted in the sheath, the ends of which are closed by a cover.
Emergency lighting for an airplane is known from WO 01/52224 A1 in which escape route markings are used in the form of inserts, self adhesive strips and paint in the airplane interior.
An emergency lighting unit for the interior of an airplane is known from EP 0 828 657 B1 that is held in position by means of a cover element directly connected to the floor of the airplane.
A photoluminescent material is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,074,345 B2 that is made from a mixture of a transparent base material and photoluminescent pigments, wherein the viscosity of the transparent base material is 1 Pa·s or more than 20° C., and photoluminescent pigments are added at an amount of 7 to 95% by weight. For the use of a silicone material as the transparent base material, a viscosity of 70 Pa·s and average particle size of 150 μm is suggested for the photoluminescent pigments.
In addition to sufficient luminosity, in order for an escape route marking to be used in the airplane cabin, it is essential for it to withstand the loads in the interior of the airplane arising both from the passengers as well as from stress introduced into the escape route marking by the airplane floor.